South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok (김민석) chaired an "inter-ministerial meeting on responding to fake news, including AI misuse" at the Government Complex Seoul on Thursday and discussed a pan-government response plan ahead of the June 3 local elections.

At the meeting, attended by the Ministry of Science and ICT, the Education Ministry, the Justice Ministry, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Broadcasting Media and Communications Commission, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office and the Korea National Police Agency, Kim said the spread of fake news and black propaganda shakes the foundations of democracy. He stressed that while freedom of expression would be guaranteed to the fullest extent, authorities would respond strictly in accordance with law and principle to the production and distribution of fake news or acts that undermine election fairness.

Response plans by ministry were also made public. The Broadcasting Media and Communications Commission will act as a pan-government control tower, supporting fact-checking groups through steps including establishing a transparency centre for information and communications services, and working to prevent the spread of false and manipulated information.

The Justice Ministry plans to investigate swiftly and strictly by designating as priority targets black propaganda using AI-misused fake news, election interference by public officials, and vote-buying practices such as providing money and entertainment. The Supreme Prosecutors' Office will mobilise forensic and international judicial cooperation capabilities to pursue and investigate, under a zero-tolerance principle, those who spread fake news by abusing AI technology, regardless of whether they are in or outside the country.

The Korea National Police Agency has since Feb. 3 formed dedicated investigation teams for election crimes at police agencies nationwide and is cracking down intensively on the "five major election crimes," including spreading false information. The Ministry of the Interior and Safety will carry out a nationwide intensive inspection of illegal advertising for the month before election day, and from March 5 will operate joint inspection teams with provincial and metropolitan governments to strictly punish public officials who violate election laws.

The Ministry of Science and ICT will support development of end-to-end technologies including deepfake detection and blocking, and the Culture Ministry will expand the target of media literacy education from elementary, middle and high school students to all citizens, including adults and older people. The Education Ministry plans to draw up a basic plan for digital media literacy education in schools in the second half of this year and strengthen the education foundation through tailored training for teachers.

Kim asked the public to help build a mature democratic society by staying alert to fake news.